Follow-up

President Nursultan Nazarbayev reassured Kazakhstanis that the flood emergency has been taken under control, Tengrinews reports.

“This year, 5 Oblasts of Kazakhstan – central and north-eastern regions – have faced a rapid melting of snow that led to flooding. 15 thousand people have been relocated. They suffered a material damage to their houses and cattle. We are aware of it. Currently, 5.5 thousand people and 1.5 thousand vehicles are working to help the victims. Luckily, we have not lost a single person (to the flood),” Nazarbayev said during the meeting with media representatives at the Kazakh-Turkish Business Forum in Astana.

Nazarbayev praised the work of the emergency services. “I thank them all. I’m in contact with the Akimats of the Oblasts. Karaganda Oblast has received $5.3 million from the central budget. The water has started to subside and I think, we will resolve this issue (soon). There is no need to worry. Everything is under control. We have our means and we are using everything we can (to remedy the situation),” the President said.

“No one expected one and a half meters of snow to fall out in the end of March. On the other hand it is good for the crops. But, Karaganda Oblast is suffering the most at the moment. Akmola Oblast and a couple villages in Pavlodar Oblast, too, but we are working on it, so, there is no need to worry,” Nazarbayev assured.

Alexey Sovetov of the Emergency Situation Response Department said that on April 15 First Deputy Prime Minister Bakhytzhan Sagintayev gathered a meeting to discuss the situation in the regions. “During the meeting, Sagintayev instructed to allocate $5.3 million from the state budget for the rescue operations and immediate aid to the flood victims in Karaganda Oblast,” Sovetov said. Meanwhile, the evacuation of the victims from the flood zone continues.

Volunteers in Almaty and other cities of Kazakhstan continue gathering and sending humanitarian aid to the victims in the affected regions of the country.